1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a container preferably in the form of a baby bottle having a body with a support assembly mounted thereon, wherein the configuration of the body as well as the disposition and structure of the support assembly allows for the positioning of the body in a supported, horizontal orientation without risk of spilling or rolling of the body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Feeding containers, in the form of baby bottles, have greatly improved over the last few years in structural design as well as the material from which such containers are formed. Such structural and design improvements have come as a result of the obvious disadvantages associated with the production and utilization of the heavy, glass material baby bottles prevalent throughout the industry in years past. These prior art glass material containers were difficult to handle both by a parent or caretaker feeding an infant, as well as by the infant itself, when he or she became old enough to self feed without the aid of an attending adult. The glass material from which such prior art baby bottles where formed naturally increased the weight and therefore presented disadvantages associated with handling and positioning. Also, such glass material, prior art baby bottles also presented a safety factor in terms of breakage during the feeding process and/or in the heating the contents of the baby bottle.
In addition to the above, prior art feeding containers, which are generally of a straight line configuration, wherein they are structured to be normally oriented in a vertically upright position with the bottom end or base portion of the bottle specifically dimensioned and configured to be placed on a supporting surface, may significantly add to the air intake of the infant during the consumption of the milk, juice or like liquid food material contained within the baby bottle. Such excessive air intake has been recognized as a significant factor in causing colic, hiccups and other harmful maladies in the infant.
Based on the long recognized disadvantages associated with the use of prior art baby bottles and like feeding containers of the type set forth above, including the glass and straight line bottles, the industry has implemented numerous design and structural improvements in such containers. Such improvements include the use of light weight, durable plastic materials, which have proven to be safer from the stand point of breakage, such as when the baby bottle is inadvertently dropped, overheated or the like. In addition, baby bottles or like feeding containers are now available with a substantially curved, longitudinal configuration in order to facilitate the correct positioning of the container during feeding and thereby minimize air intake when the milk, food formula, or like beverage is being consumed by the infant.
Still, however, even in light of those improvements and structural changes made in the design of baby bottles and like feeding containers which are now commercially available, some of the above-recited problems associated therewith remain unaddressed. Specifically, the normal shape and configuration of conventional bottles, including the more modern shape and alternative material designs, is such that when the bottle is not being used or handled, it must be supported in a generally upright, vertical orientation on its relatively small diameter base. Naturally, such a configuration wherein a potentially top heavy configuration is disposed on a small area can lead to instability and easy tipping and therefore spilling if the bottle or a support surface is bumped by a caretaker or infant. Indeed, such is especially the case with some alternate configuration bottle shapes wherein the center of gravity of the bottle is not even centered over the base. Despite the drawbacks associated with such vertical positioning, however, the conventional shape of existing bottles does not allow for them to merely be laid down atop a support surface, as such positioning is generally unstable and susceptible to rolling, especially with odd shaped bottles and/or when liquid is contained in the bottle and/or when a support surface, such as a high chair is susceptible to movement or jarring. Also, a laid down configuration of existing bottle structures can result in spillage, even if the bottle can be propped by other objects to prevent rolling, if the fluid level is higher than the nipple of the bottle in that horizontal orientation.
Accordingly, there is still a need in the industry for a baby bottle made of a light weight, high strength, material resistant to breakage from dropping or over heating, and which can be effectively disposed in a position which is not readily susceptible to tipping over or rolling, and will not leak or spill even when the bottle is full and is supported in a horizontal orientation. Further, such an improved bottle may also incorporate a specific configuration which minimizes air intake as the infant consumes the material within the container. In addition, a preferred new design configuration of a feeding container, specifically of the type used to feed infants a liquid food product, should preferably include structure which facilitates selected, supported positioning of the feeding container on a supporting surface in any one of a variety of different horizontal, and thereby more stable, orientations, which function to minimize spillage and/or re-introduction of air therein, and which may be more convenient for manipulation of the bottle to and from the infant's mouth. In particular, such a preferred, improved feeding container should allow the container to be horizontally supported on a supporting surface in a plurality of different orientations convenient to a user, without being susceptible to rolling or spilling through a nipple of the bottle, and can also preferably allow the container to be supported in an upright, substantially vertical position if desired in some circumstances.
In any of the plurality of supported positions, whether the baby bottle is horizontally or vertically oriented, the nipple or other dispensing structure mounted on an open end thereof should also be disposed in a spaced relation to the supporting surface so as prevent the nipple or like dispensing structure from being contaminated by direct contact with the supporting surface or other objects. Moreover, the overall configuration of a preferred baby bottle or like feeding container, as well as a supporting structure associated therewith, should be such as to "automatically" orient the dispensing structure in a non-leaking position for obvious reasons.